Leadership for America

American Leadership

Statement of Purpose

The freedom and security of Americans depend on America’s global leadership. Without American leadership the world will become a more dangerous place—for Americans and for freedom. If left unchecked, the growing dangers will only get worse and may reach the point where America’s very existence is at stake. Transnational terrorism, rampant anti-Americanism, unaccountable international institutions, nuclear proliferation, and regional conflict all represent real threats to peace and prosperity. We can deal with these grim challenges. Just as The Heritage Foundation helped devise the strategies and plans to win the Cold War, it can and should do the same with respect to helping America win the global war of ideas for freedom and security.

Objectives

1.To protect America’s leadership role in the world from the corrosive effects of terrorists, rogue states, rival powers, anti-American political movements, and weak allies.

It is long past time for the U.S. to have a meaningful, tightly focused China policy. However, President Obama’s upcoming meeting with the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party doesn’t appear to support that goal.

Washington’s hands-off policy toward Syria could lead the country to devolve into an anarchic patchwork of warring fiefdoms, providing fertile ground for al-Qaeda and other Islamist extremist organizations.

Year after year, the U.S. pays more into the United Nations system than any other nation. Yet figuring out exactly how much we spend on the U.N. and its affiliated organizations is deceptively difficult.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the U.S.–South Korean alliance, a partnership forged in the crucible of war. Now is the time to honor that bond by taking all necessary steps to defend America’s allies in the face of growing military threats in Asia.

Over the past decade, the People's Republic of China has exhibited a growing interest in waging asymmetrical warfare. The purpose of this interest is chilling: to enable the PRC to win a war against the U.S. without firing a shot.

Rampant government spending, overregulation, and burdensome tax rates for businesses have secured the U.S. the number ten spot on the 2013 Index of Economic Freedom, with a score of 76, its lowest since 2000, and a “mostly free” rating, the index’s second-highest category.

Call them the Founding Squabblers. America's Founders disagreed -- a lot. All of them, including George Washington, picked sides. But as he was leaving office, he knew it wasn't the right time to be making binding commitments.

ABOUT The HERITAGE FOUNDATION

The Heritage Foundation is the nation’s most broadly supported public policy research institute, with hundreds of thousands of individual, foundation and corporate donors. Heritage, founded in February 1973, has a staff of 275 and an annual expense budget of $82.4 million.

Our mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense. Read More